crime fiction

2023 CrimeFest Awards

Leave a Comment / Bestselling Author, Book List, Crime, Debut Author, Featured, Mystery, Nominated for Award

CrimeFest celebrates the best of crime fiction first published in the UK. In general, the titles are sent in by the publishers for consideration, then read and reduced to the list of finalists you see below. A group of British crime fiction reviewers selects both the finalists and the winners. The awards were presented on May 13. The category winners are indicated in red.

Specsavers Debut Crime Novel Award

  • A Good Day to Die, by Amen Alonge
  • Bad for Good, by Graham Bartlett
  • The Maid, by Nita Prose
  • Ashes in the Snow, by Oriana Rammuno, translated by Katherine Gregor
  • Kalmann, by Joachim B. Schmidt, translated by Jamie Lee Searle
  • Dirt Town, by Hayley Scrivenor
  • The Siege, by John Sutherland
  • A Flicker in the Dark, by Stacy Willingham

eDunnit Award

  • The Cliff House, by Chris Brookmyre
  • Desert Star, by Michael Connelly
  • The Botanist, by M.W. Craven
  • The Book of the Most Precious Substance, by Sara Gran
  • A Heart Full of Headstones, by Ian Rankin
  • Nine Lives, by Peter Swanson

Last Laugh Award (for the best humorous crime novel)

  • Bryant & May’s Peculiar London, by Christopher Fowler
  • The Locked Room, by Elly Griffiths
  • Bad Actors, by Mick Herron
  • Hope to Die, by Cara Hunter
  • Mr. Campion’s Mosaic, by Mike Ripley
  • The Moose Paradox, by Antti Tuomainen

Congratulations to all the nominees and winners! 

Barry Awards (Crime Fiction) – 2022

Leave a Comment / Bestselling Author, Crime, Debut Author, Featured, Military, Mystery, Nominated for Award, Suspense, Thriller

Established in 1997, the Barry Awards are presented at the annual Bouchercon World Mystery Convention, held this year in Minneapolis. The winners were announced at the Opening Ceremonies on September 8th. Voted on by readers of the Deadly Pleasures mystery magazine, the award was named in honor of Barry Gardner, an American critic and lover of great crime fiction. Congratulations to all the nominees and winners (indicated in red)!

 

Best Mystery/Crime Novel
THE DARK HOURS, Michael Connelly
RAZORBLADE TEARS, S. A. Cosby
LAST REDEMPTION, Matt Coyle
CLARK AND DIVISION, Naomi Hirahara
BILLY SUMMERS, Stephen King
WE BEGIN AT THE END, Chris Whitaker

 

Best First Mystery/Crime Novel
WHO IS MAUDE DIXON?, Alexandra Andrews
GIRL A, Abigail Dean
DOWN RANGE, Taylor Moore
FALLING, T. J. Newman
SLEEPING BEAR, Connor Sullivan
STEEL FEAR, Brandon Webb & John David Mann

 

Best Paperback Original
THE HUNTED, Gabriel Bergmoser
ARSENIC AND ADOBO, Mia P. Manansala
BLACK CORAL, Andrew Mayne
THE GOOD TURN, Dervla McTiernan
SEARCH FOR HER, Rick Mofina
BOUND, Vanda Symon

 

Best Thriller
THE DEVIL’S HAND, Jack Carr
THE NAMELESS ONES, John Connolly
DEAD BY DAWN, Paul Doiron
RELENTLESS, Mark Greaney
SLOUGH HOUSE, Mick Herron
FIVE DECEMBERS, James Kestrel

 

2022 – CrimeFest

Leave a Comment / Bestselling Author, Crime, Debut Author, Featured, Fiction, Mystery, Nominated for Award, Readers Under 12, Suspense, Thriller, Young Adult/Teen

CrimeFest celebrates the best of crime fiction first published in the UK. In general, the titles are sent in by the publishers for consideration, then read and reduced to the list of finalists you see below. A group of British crime fiction reviewers selects both the finalists and the winners.

 

The 2022 in-person convention was held May 12-15, 2022, in Bristol. The awards for titles published in 2021 were announced at the Gala that weekend. Each winner received a commemorative Bristol Blue Glass commemorative award. Some winning authors also received one thousand pounds. The winners are indicated in red.

Specsavers Crime Fiction Debut Award nominees:
– Abigail Dean for Girl A 
– Janice Hallett for The Appeal 
– Saima Mir for The Khan 
– Rahul Raina for How to Kidnap the Rich 
– Lara Thompson for One Night, New York
– David Heska Wanbli Weiden for Winter Counts

 

AUDIBLE SOUNDS OF CRIME AWARD
The Audible Sounds of Crime Award is for the best unabridged crime audiobook first published in the United Kingdom in 2021 in both printed and audio formats. The winning author and audiobook reader(s) share the £1,000 prize equally.

– Lee and Andrew Child for Better Off Dead, reader Jeff Harding
– Abigail Dean for Girl A, reader Holliday Grainger
– Paula Hawkins for Slow Fire Burning, reader Rosamund Pike
– Lisa Jewell for The Night She Disappeared, reader Joanna Froggatt
– Liane Moriarty  for Apples Never Fall, reader Caroline Lee
– Richard Osman for The Man Who Died Twice, reader Lesley Manville
– K.L. Slater for The Marriage, reader Lucy Price-Lewis
– Karin Slaughter for False Witness, reader Kathleen Early

 

eDUNNIT AWARD
The eDunnit Award is for the best crime fiction ebook first published in both hardcopy and in electronic format in the United Kingdom in 2021.

– Megan Abbott for The Turnout
– Gianrico Carofiglio for The Measure of Time
– Michael Connelly for The Dark Hours
– Abigail Dean for Girl A
– Cath Staincliffe for Running Out of Road
– Andrew Taylor for The Royal Secret


LAST LAUGH AWARD
The Last Laugh Award is for the best humorous crime novel first published in the United Kingdom in 2021.

– Simon Brett for An Untidy Death
– Andrea Camilleri for Riccardino
– Christopher Fowler for Bryant & May: London Bridge is Falling Down
– Janice Hallett for The Appeal
– Mick Herron for Slough House
– Antti Tuomainen for The Rabbit Factor


Best Crime Novel for Children (ages 8-12):
– Frank Cottrell-Boyce for Noah’s Gold
– Maz Evans for VI Spy: Licence to Chill
– Anthony Horowitz for Nightshade
– Anthony Kessel for The Five Clues
– Jennifer Killick for Crater Lake Evolution
– M.G. Leonard for Twitch
– Alexandra Page (illustrator: Penny Neville-Lee) for Wishyouwas
– Ella Risbridger for The Secret Detectives


Best Crime Novel for Young Adults (ages 12-16):
– Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé for Ace of Spades
– Angeline Boulley for Firekeeper’s Daughter
– Andreina Cordani for The Girl Who…
– William Hussey for The Outrage
– Holly Jackson for As Good As Dead
– Patrice Lawrence for Splinters of Sunshine
– Jonathan Stroud for The Outlaws of Scarlett & Browne
– C.L. Taylor for The Island

 

Congratulations to all the nominees and winners!                

 

Bloody Scotland Crime Book of the Year 2021 – McIlvanney Prize

2 Comments / Crime, Debut Author, Featured, Mystery, Nominated for Award, Suspense, Thriller

Bloody Scotland Debut Prize for Crime Novel of the Year:

In 2019, Bloody Scotland introduced a new prize, the Bloody Scotland Scottish Crime Debut of the Year. To qualify for the award, the book must either be written by an author that was born or lives there, or is set in Scotland. The winner is awarded a cheque of £500 and a trophy sponsored by Glencairn Glass.

Introducing this year’s exciting finalists, with the winner indicated in red:

The Silent Daughter by Emma Christie

No Harm Done by Alistair Liddle

Edge of the Grave by Robbie Morrison

Waking the Tiger by Mark Wightman

 

The McIlvanney Prize is Bloody Scotland’s annual prize awarded to the Best Scottish Crime Book of the Year. As with the Debut novel award, authors must either be born or have lived in Scotland, and their book must be set in Scotland. The winner of The McIlvanney Prize will receive £1,000 and a Glencairn trophy.

Here are the finalists, with the winner indicated in red:

The Silent Daughter, Emma Christie

The Coffinmaker’s Garden, Stuart MacBride

Edge of the Grave, Robbie Morrison

The April Dead, Alan Parks

Hyde, Craig Russell

Congratulations to all!

 

 

 

2021 Anthony Awards

Leave a Comment / Crime, Fiction, Mystery, Nominated for Award, Non-fiction, Short Stories/Collection, Suspense, Thriller, Young Adult/Teen

Bouchercon is an annual conference named after Anthony Boucher, a mystery author and critic who helped found the Mystery Writers of America. This event honors various segments of the mystery and crime fiction community. Take a look at the nominees and the winners for the coveted Anthony Awards. The winners (indicated in red) were announced during virtual BoucherCon in August.

Best Hardcover Novel

  • What You Don’t See – Tracy Clark
  • Blacktop Wasteland – S.A. Cosby
  • Little Secrets – Jennifer Hillier
  • And Now She’s Gone – Rachel Howzell Hall
  • The First to Lie – Hank Phillippi Ryan
     

Best First Novel

  • Derailed – Mary Keliikoa
  • Murder in Old Bombay – Nev March
  • Murder at the Mena House – Erica Ruth Neubauer
  • The Thursday Murder Club – Richard Osman
  • Winter Counts – David Heska Wanbli Weiden

Best Paperback Original/E-Book/Audiobook Original Novel

  • ​The Fate of a Flapper – Susanna Calkins
  • When No One is Watching – Alyssa Cole
  • Unspeakable Things – Jess Lourey
  • The Lucky One – Lori Rader-Day
  • Dirty Old Town – Gabriel Valjan

Best Short Story

  • “Dear Emily Etiquette” – Barb Goffman – EQMM – Dell Magazines
  • “90 Miles” – Alex Segura – Both Sides: Stories From the Border – Agora Books
  • “The Boy Detective & The Summer of ’74” – Art Taylor – AHMM (Jan-Feb) – Dell Magazines
  • “Elysian Fields” – Gabriel Valjan – California Schemin’ – Wildside Press
  • “The Twenty-Five Year Engagement” – James W. Ziskin – In League with Sherlock Holmes – Pegasus Crime

Best Juvenile/Young Adult

  • Midnight at the Barclay Hotel – Fleur Bradley
  • Premeditated Myrtle – Elizabeth C. Bunce
  • From the Desk of Zoe Washington – Janae Marks
  • Holly Hernandez and the Death of Disco – Richie Narvaez
  • Star Wars Poe Dameron: Free Fall – Alex Segura

Best Anthology or Collection

  • Shattering Glass: A Nasty Woman Press Anthology – Heather Graham, ed.
  • Both Sides: Stories from the Border – Gabino Iglesias, ed.
  • Noiryorican – Richie Narvaez
  • The Beat of Black Wings: Crime Fiction Inspired by the Songs of Joni Mitchell – Josh Pachter, ed.
  • California Schemin’ – Art Taylor. ed.
  • Lockdown: Stories of Crime, Terror, and Hope During a Pandemic – Nick Kolakowski and Steve Weddle, eds.

 

Congratulations to all the nominees and winners!

 

 

Barry Awards (Crime Fiction) – 2021

Bestselling Author, Book List, Crime, Debut Author, Mystery, Nominated for Award, Thriller

Established in 1997, the Barry Awards are usually presented at the annual Bouchercon World Mystery Convention, this year to be held in New Orleans, Louisiana. But alas, Covid struck again and the conference was cancelled. In light of the cancellation, the winners of the Barry Awards-2021 were  announced earlier today and are indicated in red. Voted on by readers of the Deadly Pleasures mystery magazine, the award was named in honor of Barry Gardner, an American critic and lover of great crime fiction.


Best Novel
THE BOY FROM THE WOODS, Harlan Coben
THE LAW OF INNOCENCE, Michael Connelly
BLACKTOP WASTELAND, S. A. Cosby
AND NOW SHE’S GONE, Rachel Howzell Hall
MOONFLOWER MURDERS, Anthony Horowitz
ALL THE DEVILS ARE HERE, Louise Penny


Best First Novel
DEEP STATE, Chris Hauty
MURDER IN OLD BOMBAY by Nev March
THE THURSDAY MURDER CLUB, Richard Osman
THE EIGHTH DETECTIVE, Alex Pavesi
WINTER COUNTS, David Heska Wanbli Weiden
DARLING ROSE GOLD, Stephanie Wrobel


Best Paperback Original
WHEN NO ONE IS WATCHING, Alyssa Cole
MONGKOK STATION, Jake Needham
HIDE AWAY, Jason Pinter
BAD NEWS TRAVELS FAST, James Swain
DARKNESS FOR LIGHT, Emma Viskic
TURN TO STONE, James W. Ziskin


Best Thriller
DOUBLE AGENT, Tom Bradby
BLIND VIGIL, Matt Coyle
ONE MINUTE OUT, Mark Greaney
THE LAST HUNT, Deon Meyer
EDDIE’S BOY, Thomas Perry
THE WILD ONE, Nick Petrie

 

Congratulations to all the nominees and winners!  🙂

 

2021 Hammett Prize

Bestselling Author, Crime, Debut Author, Featured, Historical, Mystery, Suspense

The Hammett Prize is bestowed by The International Association of Crime Writers (North American Branch). The award was given in July for a 2020 work of literary excellence in the field of crime writing by an American or Canadian author. The prize is the famous ‘Thin Man’ bronze trophy, and bragging rights. 🙂

Congratulations to all the nominees and the winner (indicated in red):

 

MURDER IN OLD BOMBAY by Nev March
Based on a true story that occurred in colonial India, a hospitalized soldier investigates a murder.

 

THE MOUNTAINS WILD by Sarah Stewart Taylor
A New York detective returns to Dublin to investigate the disappearance of her cousin after new evidence appears 20 years later.

 

THREE HOURS IN PARIS by Cara Black
In World War II, a female sniper out for revenge, is sent to Paris to assassinate the Fűhrer, but misses. Told in real time.

 

WHEN THESE MOUNTAINS BURN by David Joy
Set in Appalachia, an addict, a frustrated father, and a lawman converge around the circumstances of the opioid epidemic.

 

WINTER COUNTS by David Heska Wanbli Weiden
A vigilante on a Native American reservation searches for the source of a heroin supply.

 

 

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